A new oceanic adventure is about to begin for skipper Alberto Bona and the Class40 IBSA: the start of the Transat CIC on April 28, 2024, officially kicks off the third season of the project Sailing into the Future. Together.
Sailing into the Future
Transat CIC 2024: the countdown begins for Bona and the Class40 IBSA
ONE MAN, ONE BOAT, THE OCEAN
One man, one boat, the ocean is the slogan of this regatta, which Alberto will face alone, just like the Route du Rhum 2022, his very first ocean crossing on the Class40 IBSA.
Originally known as The English Transat, or OSTAR, it was then called 1 Star and today is simply known as The Transat: the regatta has a legendary history and a prestigious roll of honour. With its 3,500 nautical miles route, it is one of the most demanding challenges of the North Atlantic Ocean, a crossing as famous as it is tough, due to wind, sea and current conditions.
The one starting on April 28 will be its 15th edition. The departure city of the Transat CIC has always been Plymouth (UK) – hence the nickname English Transat – but the 2024 edition will start from Lorient, the putative capital of French sailing. Over the years, the arrival has involved several North American ports, including Newport, Boston and New York, and it will be precisely the Big Apple that will welcome the skippers in this year’s edition.
On the starting line there will be 13 Class40s, 33 IMOCAs and 2 Vintage Class boats, for a total of 48 crafts and a heterogeneous and renowned parterre of sailors. On average, for the Class40s the crossing can take between two and three weeks, but the duration of the navigation will depend on the weather conditions, the performance of the boats and the route chosen by the skippers.
THE COMPLETELY RENOVATED CLASS40 IBSA: FOCUS ON SAFETY, STABILITY AND SPEED
Bona will be on the starting line with a completely renovated boat, after more than two months of intense maintenance work, which ranged from careful hull overhauling to the improvement of the internal nav station, up to a few structural changes aimed at ensuring greater safety and stability.
Bona’s technical team has installed a desalinator and a new sail and upgraded the power systems to ensure an adequate supply of energy even in adverse weather conditions. Safety remains a key priority, especially during solo sailing; for this reason, new devices have also been implemented, including additional safety belts and life lines to prevent falls.
The return to sea is imminent and Alberto is ready for the challenge: “It’s the first time that the 'racing' Class40s like ours participate in this regatta, which has not taken place for 8 years (the 2020 edition was cancelled due to COVID). We will find ourselves facing a completely different route from the previous transoceanic ones. We completed the planned works and we are finally back in the water; the boat is responding well and we are ready to face this new season”, stated Bona.
SAIL AWAY. EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER
The great successes achieved by Alberto Bona and the Class40 IBSA in 2023 reflect the dedication and courage of both the company and the skipper, a metaphor for the commitment and determination necessary to achieve great goals together.
For IBSA, believing in this undertaking means embracing the wind of challenge and persevering, always going beyond, in sport as well as in life. Alberto Bona, in this first regatta of the season, will sail alone, but will never be alone. And therefore, in the words of Mark Twain: Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover
Go Alberto! Go Class40 IBSA!